Skittle-game apparatus.



L. FERON.-

SKITTLE GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED Aus. l. 19H. nENEwEn SEPT. 22, 1916.

1,224,727. Patented May 1, 1917.

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@PM f www L. FERON.

SKITTLE GAME APPARATUS. APPucAnoN min AuGJ. 1914. nzuzwin SEPT. 22. me.

1,224,727 Patented May1,1917.V

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ln'on renom. or BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

sKiTrLnGM/m APPARATUS.

Application filed August 1, 1914, Serial No. 854,544. Renewed September 22,

To ail fao/0m 'it may concern Be it known that l, LoN FnRoN, a subject of the Belgian King, and resident of Brussels, Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Skittlc-Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to skittle games of any kind and has 4for its object to provide a device which sets up and puts again in their relative places on the spot the various skittles after the latter have been upset by the players, said device being simple and accurate, easy to manufacture and cheap.

The novel device consists in connecting the skittles by means of line ropes or the like with a board vertically slidable within a movable frame or slide. The slide moves in such a manner that the skittles, hanging below the board to which they are connected by the ropes, may be lowered on their required places on the table and are guided during such downward motion by means of corresponding guides provided on said slide.

,The above improvements, and other minor ones, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a billiard table on which are disposed two games of skittles provided with the improved device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section of Same.

Fig. 3 is a detail, drawn at an enlarged scale, of the rear portion of the billiard table shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a plane view of the lower face of the movable board.

Fig. 1 shows a billiard table on which are arranged two games of skittles. 1 is the table proper of the billiard or any like table on which are disposed the skittles 2 shown in Fig. 2 in their respective positions and connected by means of ropes 3 or the like to a board 4. This board is vertically movable and is guided by means of tubular guides 5 along vertical guide-bars 6 provided on the frame 71, 7 2, 73 forming the slide. The board 4 is provided at its lower face with a plurality of hooks or the like fastening devices 14 to which are fastened the ends of the ropes 3. The board 72 forming the lower side of the guide is provided with holes registering with the hooks or the like 14 and 1:3 through which extend the ropes 3 in such a manner that the skittles 2, raised with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1917.

191e. serial No. 121,695.

board 4, may be moved on the desired places The up and downward motion of the* board 4 in the frame is controlled by means of a cord 8 passing over pulleys 9 and the end of which is in reach of the players.

After one player raised the board 4 up to the upper side 7 .1 of the slide by means of the cable 8` the slide is pulled toward the front, just above the spot where the skittles are disposed, (Fig. 2), after which a counterweight or a spring or the like pulls back the frame to its normal position at the rear of the billiard table, so that the device does not interfere with the play.

The device works as follows:

When the skittles are arranged in their required position on the table, and the slide 71,'72, 72 is in the rear of the frame 1; the board 4 is in its lowermost position and rests on the lower side 72 of the slide frame and the ropes 3 are in an inclined position.

For putting in position the fallen skittles at the end of a play, the board 4 is first raised so that the skittles assume the `position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, then the device is pulled toward the front just above the spot where the skittles should be placed, after which the board 4 is carefully lowered su that the various skittles assume the required positions. Wlien releasing the cord 8, the counterweight 10 pulls the frame 71, 72, 7 2 back to its usual position at the rear (Fig. 2) and the board 4 slides downwardly.

f course board 4 and frame 71 72 7 3 may be operated independently from each other.

It may be understood that such a device may be applied to any kind of game of skittles without any risk of entanglement of the various ropes.

Having now fully described my said invention', what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of' a frame provided with a track, horizontal guides at the rear of the frame, a frame slidably mounted in the horizontal guides, a plurality of skittles adapted to be supported on the track, means mounted in the' slidable frame for raising the skittles including a flexible connection, said flexible connection also serving to draw the slidable frame forward after the skittles are elevated, and means for drawing the slidable frame rearwardly to normal position, the skittles falling from the sliding frame by gravity when the flexible connection is re` leased.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a frame provided with a track, horizontal guides at the rear of the frame, a frame slidably mounted in the horizontal guides, a plurality of skittles adapted to be supported on the track, a vertically movable support mounted in the sliding frame, flexible connections between the skittles and the vertically movable support, a guide on the slid- "able frame, a flexible connection attached to the vertically movable support and passing over the guide to raise the latter and the skittles and to draw the sliding frame forwardly, and means for drawing the slidable frame rearwardly, the skittles and the vertically movable support falling by gravity when the flexible connection is released.

8. In a game apparatus, the combination of a frame having a track, horizontal guides near one end of' the frame, a sliding frame mounted in the guides, said sliding frame having a plurality of openings, a vertically movable support mounted in the sliding frame, a plurality of skittles normally supported on the track, flexible connections between the skittles and the vertically movable Support, means for guiding the vertically movable support in the frame, means for elevating the vertically movable support and drawing the skittles into the openings and subsequently moving the sliding frame forward, to position the skittles, the latter falling from the openings by gravity and simultaneously lowering the vertically movable support, and means for returning the sliding frame to normal position.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a frame providedwith a track, horizontal guides at the rear of the Jframe, a frame sldably mounted in the horizontal guides, a plurality of skittles adapted to be supported on the track, a vertically movable support mounted in the sliding frame, flexible connections between the skittles and the vcrtically movable support, a guide on the slidable frame, a flexible connection attached to the vertically movable support and passing over the guide to raise the latter and the skittles and to draw the sliding frame forwardly, a second guide, a rope attached to the rear of' the slidable frame, and passing over the second mentioned guide, and a weight at the end of the rope to return the sliding frame to normal position, the skittles and the vertical support falling by gravity when the flexible connection is released.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LoN nunon.

Copies or this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

